"In every trial in a Criminal Court of original jurisdiction, the judgment shall be pronounced in open Court by the presiding officer immediately after the trial ends or at a later time, with prior notice given to the parties or their pleaders. The judgment can be delivered in one of the following ways:
If the judgment is delivered in full, it must be recorded in shorthand, signed by the presiding officer, and dated upon completion. If the judgment or its operative part is read out, it must be signed by the presiding officer and dated in open Court. If the judgment is not handwritten by the officer, each page of the judgment should be signed by them.
If the judgment is read aloud, a copy of it must be made available for the parties or their pleaders to view free of charge immediately. If the accused is in custody, they must be brought before the Court to hear the judgment. If the accused is not in custody, they must attend unless their personal attendance was waived or the sentence is only a fine, or they are acquitted.
In cases with multiple accused persons, the presiding officer may pronounce the judgment even if one or more accused are absent, in order to avoid delays.
A judgment delivered in the absence of a party or pleader, or due to a failure in serving notice or defects in notice, shall not be considered invalid. This section does not limit the provisions of section 465."
